Auburn vs Alabama an Instant Classic

Circuit City and other online retailers will soon find sales of Auburn and Alabama gear increasing this season. In an Iron Bowl full of BCS and NCAA subplots, the Auburn Tigers pulled the biggest comeback that has ever been managed against the mighty Crimson Tide of Alabama to win 28 to 27. This Auburn vs Alabama game was one for the ages. There was the odd factor of the home team being favored even though the road team was undefeated and number 2 in the BCS rankings going in. There was the question of whether Tigers quarterback Cam Newton would ever begin to stop looking like a man playing among boys. If that was to happen, it might have to be against this Tide defense on their home turf. And of course there was the issue of Newton's eligibility and the ongoing NCAA investigation into supposed activities that went on while we was being recruited by the Tigers and other schools following his time at Blinn College.

Iron Bowl for the Ages

All of these questions were answered to some degree by the end of the day. Alabama jumped out to a huge lead right away, putting huge numbers on the board before Auburn was ever able to even get a first down. Tide QB Greg McElroy, in the shadow of Newton all season long, emerged with a bang and threw for well over 300 yards in the first half alone as his team raced out to an insurmountable lead. But then, inexplicably, the Tigers started to mount a comeback. It was not the furious, desperate kind that normal student car insurance customers are used to seeing in these cases; no, it was almost as if Auburn expected to win all along. Auburn vs Alabama began to shift when the visitors scored and the home team failed to respond.

Then Newton led his team down the field again, and again. He used his arms, and he used his legs, and he was able to use all parts of the field to stretch the defense and make them work too hard to try to stop him, which they simply could not do in the end. This game was a classic because in the end, although favorite Alabama lost, it felt like the right team won the game. All season long Cam Newton has been the best player in the country, eligible or otherwise. The NCAA may someday hand this victory back to the Crimson Tide, but on this day, Auburn vs Alabama belonged to the Tigers, the Iron Bowl champions, the undefeated shoo ins for the BCS National Championship Game

SEC Championship Game

All that remains for Auburn now is an SEC Championship matchup against South Carolina. With all due respect to the Gamecocks and their Ol' Ball Coach Steve Spurrier, the best hope they have of winning that game is an NCAA decision on Cam Newton coming down before Saturday. And judging by the five years they took on the Reggie Bush case, Newton will already be an NFL player by that time, getting paid even more than he does now.

Auburn vs Alabama is one of the greatest rivalries in college football. Certainly Auburn vs Alabama trumps any other SEC grudge match for historical intensity. This year's game was no disappointment, unless you are an Alabama fan. There are a few tests yet to go for the Tigers, but at this point they look like they could be championship material simply because they seem to find a way to win no matter what. Auburn vs Alabama in 2010 was a game for the ages and one to be remembered by fans.